


DDY 1138

by lasersheith



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Humor, M/M, disaster gay Shiro is canon now I don't make the rules, meet ugly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-05-26 05:23:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14993714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lasersheith/pseuds/lasersheith
Summary: alternate title: Have you ever seen a man so beautiful you crashed your car?Shiro learns that it's possible for the best day of your life to coincide with the worst day of your life in the dumbest way possible. He gets into a fender bender due to some distracted driving, and his cute mechanic doesn't make things any easier... until he does.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to kenobrea for all the amazing help!!

Shiro was always a patient man. It was his whole _thing_ really. So far in the past 3 months, he'd listened to 12 books, caught up on all of his favorite podcasts, and memorized his favorite band’s entire discography on his daily commute. The traffic was really the only downside to his job. He'd had it for 3 years and would gladly stay another 30. The long drive was an easy price to pay, especially for such a patient man.

The payoffs were great; he had a lovely house in the suburbs with a very manageable 15 year mortgage, a great retirement package, excellent insurance, a practical commuter car and, most importantly, his precious motorcycle that he had the time to take for a spin every Sunday afternoon when the weather was clear.

Yeah, Shiro's life was pretty sweet, alright. Except all this damned traffic.

He switched over to the radio as he realized he'd spaced out listening to that week's episode of his favorite science podcast. It was one he'd have to save for when he was more focused. The long line of cars stretched on for as far as he could see and his speedometer read a grueling 13 mph. He'd left in plenty of time to make it to his desk by 9:00, so he indulged in one of his favorite guilty pleasures: people watching.

People do the silliest things in their cars when they think no one is looking. It's almost as if they think the thin shield of metal and glass makes them invisible. He'd seen a lot of ridiculous things: everything from people putting on makeup, to eating a bowl of spaghetti and driving with their knees, to a man trying to practice playing an oboe while traffic refused to move. He made a game of reading people's license plates and bumper stickers, trying to guess what kind of person they'd be, and then looking at the driver and seeing how close he’d gotten. He didn’t have a very good success rate, but it was a great way to pass the time.

HOTGNGR had been his favorite. It was a midsize sedan in a burgundy color, with a billion bumper stickers that all had something to do with saving the planet. He'd expected a younger girl, maybe mid 20s, red hair, of course, probably average looking with a lot of makeup. He wasn't sure if it was just someone borrowing the car, but the driver had been a middle-aged man with a rockin’ mullet and the most epic mustache he'd ever seen. That had been one of the best drives of all time.

A car just in front of him in the right lane caught his eye as he surveyed the area. The license plate read DDY 1138 and it had a bumper sticker that read “watch out for the idiot behind me!”

Shiro chuckled as he considered. It could have been randomly generated, it was close to the pattern, but the 1138 and the snarky bumper sticker screamed sci-fi nerd. DDY though? He looked straight ahead again so as not to accidentally cheat. DDY… he couldn't think of anything from Star Wars or Star Trek or anything Lucas-y. Unless…

He brought his hand up to his mouth and let out a snorting laugh. Unless that had been short for _Daddy._ It brought a pretty clear picture to his mind: standard basement dweller type. Probably some kind of programmer. The car was really nice, as far as Shiro could tell, so whatever the driver did, they certainly made enough money doing it.

His lane inched forward slowly but surely and he finally saw the person behind the wheel. It felt like time had stopped. The shirt the man was wearing was at least a size too small, showing off his muscular arms and torso. As Shiro's gaze went upward he noticed the long, slightly wavy, yet silky-looking black hair that stopped at the man's shoulders. His eyes were obscured by sleek black aviators and his mouth was set in a frown that had Shiro's pulse racing. He was easily the most gorgeous man Shiro had ever seen.

Shiro guided his car forward with his head turning, gawking at the man until they were side by side. The man saw him staring and raised an eyebrow. Shiro couldn't tear his gaze away. The sunglasses slid down his nose with the help of a single long, slender finger and Shiro felt his heart stop at the gorgeous pair of blue eyes staring into his. The man smirked and winked at him and Shiro gasped out loud.

...and then swore out loud as well. He'd run directly into the huge SUV he'd been accidentally tailgating while he was ogling.

The man with the sunglasses slid them back up his face and laughed so hard Shiro swore he could almost feel it in his own chest. He gathered up his insurance information and stepped out of the car. The man in the sunglasses drove on.

After dealing with the irate soccer mom he'd accidentally hit and calling his boss to apologise for being late, he sat back down in his car with a sigh to wait for the police to arrive since _Karen_ had insisted upon it. He looked up the nearest repair shop and plugged the address into his GPS. He closed his eyes and groaned, feeling like the biggest idiot in the world. The only thing he could see behind his eyelids was that captivating wink.

..

Much later, after an unnecessary police report and unfortunately necessary call to his insurance company, he headed to _Marmora Repairs_ only a few exits up the highway. Traffic was flowing fine that late in the morning so the trip only took about 15 minutes. Shiro didn't play any of his silly games as he drove, instead staring grimly straight ahead the whole time.

He pulled into the shop’s small parking lot and smiled as he looked around. There were a lot of cool, old cars on display and the reviews had all been great, so he was sure it would be as good of a collision repair experience as could be hoped for. He couldn't seem to get anything quite right that morning, however, and almost turned around and walked right back outside when he saw who was behind the counter.

_DDY 1138_

Shiro cringed as the man looked up at the tinkling of the bell hanging over the door. That same smirk slid into place and Shiro was sure he was about to burst into flames. “Well what are the odds on that?” The man said as he tried not to laugh.

Shiro was sure his face was bright red and he wouldn't have been surprised if his prosthetic hand had actually grown sweat glands just so both palms could be drenched. It was a nightmare. He sputtered by way of answer. “I… I'm just. I should. Yeah, I'll just go somewhere else, I'm so sorry.” He stammered out, turning around to leave.

The man vaulted the counter with practiced ease and locked a strong hand around Shiro’s forearm. “No, no, it's ok.” He said as Shiro wheeled back towards him at the contact. “I feel kinda bad, it was a little bit my fault.” He chuckled nervously.

Shiro tried to remember how to breathe first, and then talk, but neither was really working for him with the grip still around his arm. “Ok,” he finally said, voice barely above a whisper.

The man smiled and let go, sticking his hand out in the small space between them. “I'm Keith, by the way.” Shiro took his hand on autopilot.

The handshake lasted way too long, and was more of an awkward hand holding than shaking, as Shiro couldn't seem to get his prosthetic to follow his instructions. Keith stared up at him in amusement for a moment before Shiro suddenly dropped his hand. “I'm uh… I'm Shiro. Nice to meet you. Sort of.” He said with an awkward laugh.

Keith grinned. “Why don't we go take a look at the damage?” He suggested.

Shiro nodded and followed him out, still mostly awestruck. He couldn't tear his eyes away as Keith squatted down in his sinfully tight jeans and ran a hand over the cracked bumper. He stood up after a few minutes and leaned against Shiro's hood, arms and ankles crossed. “So what's your estimate?” Shiro asked, already dreading the answer. He'd probably need a new bumper and a new paint job if he didn't want his car to look ridiculous.

Keith smiled a lopsided smile that would have been a smirk if his gaze hadn't seemed so fond. “I can have it fixed by tomorrow, I’m pretty sure we have a bumper for this year in stock across town. The color’s pretty close, just a little sun-faded. You can decide if you want a repaint after, but that's pretty pricey.”

Shiro nodded, it was pretty much what he expected. “And the bumper replacement? How much does that usually run?” He asked with a grimace.

The other side of Keith's mouth joined in on his smile and he looked shyly at the ground, pushing off the car and taking a few steps towards Shiro. “Well, normally about $500.” He looked up and met Shiro's eyes, smile wavering just a little. “But since it was partially my fault, maybe we can call it square for uh,” he paused and licked his lips. “For a date?”

Shiro's reaction wasn't one he was proud of. His mouth dropped open and he stared for a moment before he let out what could only be called a _giggle_. He clapped a hand over his mouth and disguised the reaction badly as he cleared his throat. He tried to put on his most charming face and crossed his arms. “So do you usually trade your services for dates?” He asked, trying to nonchalant.

He realized how it sounded as Keith's eyes widened and pulled his hands back out in front of himself, waving them just shy of frantically. ““No, no what I meant, what I meant was uh, how, how often do you date your clients?” He tried. Keith brought a hand over his mouth and started quietly laughing. Shiro cringed again. “No that was, that was not better. I’m so sorry.” He looked up at the sky for a moment, begging any deity that might be listening for help. None came. “I should just, never use my mouth to say words. I’m just gonna… go.” He turned around to walk away and realized that Keith was, in fact, still standing in front of his car. The other direction. He brought a hand to his forehead and only barely managed to hear the faint _slap_ as it hit his skin over Keith’s laughter. Shiro turned back around and sighed. “I am… such a disaster.” He murmured.

Keith grinned up at him from where he was hunched over, laughing. “Really… all you have… to say…” He panted out in between desperate gulps for air. “Is… yes… or no?”

“Yes.” Shiro replied right away, slapping his hand over his mouth again. “Did I say that way too fast?” He asked, teeth gritted and jaw tight.

Keith choked out a few more laughs interspersed with coughs as he tried to catch his breath to reply. He decided eventually to just hold up his thumb in agreement.

Shiro sighed in equal parts disbelief and respite. “Ok, ok cool.” He brought his hand up to the back of his neck, rubbing nervously. “So, should I pick you up tonight?” He asked as Keith finally stood up, stilling grinning wide.

Keith chuckled again and gestured to the broken bumper. “Not if you want your car fixed.” He answered, smiling fondly at Shiro, just barely holding back another fit of laughter.

“Oh god…” Shiro murmured, burying his face in his hands.

Keith walked up and put a hand on his shoulder. “How about, tomorrow you come by around 5? You can decide on the paint job and we’ll get dinner after.” He pulled Shiro’s hands away from his face.

Shiro nodded. “Yeah, that sounds good. Good call. Smart.” He clamped his lips shut before he could say anything else.

Keith nodded, too, and held out his hand. “Alright, great.” He answered. Shiro looked at Keith’s hand in confusion before taking it again and actually shaking it this time. Keith immediately burst into laughter again. Shiro sputtered in confusion for a second as Keith gathered his wits. “You’re really too adorable for words you know that? I need your keys.”

Shiro closed his eyes and dug the keys out of his pocket, handing them over with a groan. “I’m… so sorry.” He mumbled, shaking his head.

Keith curled his fist around the keys and looked up at Shiro with another enchanted smile. “Don’t be sorry. And don’t be late. 5:00 tomorrow.” Keith said, patting Shiro’s shoulder as he headed back inside.

Shiro pulled his phone out of his pocket to get an Uber to take him home and texted his boss that he was taking a personal day. He needed to go lie down. 


	2. Chapter 2

Shiro thanked the driver and headed up his front steps with his head still reeling. He couldn't make it through one conversation with Keith at an autoshop, he had no idea how he was going to survive a whole date. He slipped his hand into his pocket as he got to the door and realized his keys weren't there. They were on his keychain.. which he had left with Keith. 

He rested his forehead against the door and sighed, pulling out his phone. It rang twice before Matt picked up. “Buona notte! Miss me already, nerd?”

Shiro groaned. “Shit. You're in Italy.” He thunked his head against the front door. 

Matt laughed. “You're the one that took us to the airport, Shiro. You ok?” 

“No.” Shiro whined, turning around to slide down to the porch. “I rear-ended someone this morning so my car is in the shop and I forgot my house key with the mechanic.” He let the back of his head thud against the door again.

Matt's amused tone quickly turned to alarm. “You're ok though, right?” He asked, just a hint of panic creeping into his voice. 

“Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I'm not hurt.” Shiro reassured with a sigh. “Just an idiot.” 

Matt hummed thoughtfully. Shiro could hear Matt’s family having a lively conversation in the background. “You seem shaken up.” He replied quietly. 

Shiro sighed again. He would tell Matt what happened eventually, but it still felt too surreal. “I'm fine.” He asserted again. “The mechanic was just… he was really hot and I made an ass out of myself and he still wants to go on a date somehow? But now I have to call him and get my keys back and look like more of an idiot even though I was pretty sure that wasn’t possible.” Shiro rambled.

“No way,  _ you _ asked someone on a date? You? Takashi Shirogane?” Matt asked incredulously. Shiro heard the conversation in the background come to an abrupt halt. 

Shiro swallowed hard. “No... He asked me.” His voice came out in a pathetic squeak as he remembered the morning’s events. 

He heard the slap of Matt's hand against his forehead. “God.” Matt mumbled under his breath. “Ok, call the shop, ask if they can send someone over to bring your keys back or something.” He suggested. 

“What if he answers?” Shiro asked with a cringe. 

The line went dead. Shiro stared at the “call ended” screen and sighed. He deeply regretted the extra large mug of coffee he had drained on his ill-fated drive. 

..

Keith was smiling serenely as he reorganized the small shelf in front of the cash register. For the past half hour he’d been regaling Thace of his morning’s adventures. Thace was putting up with it in half-hearted amusement, spurring Keith along in his tale to make the day go by. “So he really just… turned around the other way?” 

Keith grinned wide, eyes far away as he chuckled. “Yeah... think he forgot we were looking at his car.” 

Thace chuckled as well. “Don’t get me wrong, shrimp, you’re easy on the eyes, but that guy sounds like a wreck.” Thace shook his head and flipped to the next page of the magazine he wasn’t really reading. 

“He was just flustered. I’m sure he’s great.” Keith’s cheeks were pink and lips downturned in the barest hint of a pout. 

Thace rolled his eyes at Keith as the phone rang. He hit the speaker button without putting his magazine down. “Hello, this is Marmora Repairs. Thace speaking, how may I help you?” His tone was friendly with only a slight hint of boredom.

An apologetic but calm voice greeted him on the other end of the line. “Hi, uh, I dropped my car off earlier and accidentally left my house key on my keyring. Would it be possible to have someone drop it by? I’m more than happy to add a fee to my repair bill for it, it was a dumb mistake.” As the caller spoke, Keith launched across the reception desk and slammed the  _ mute _ button before Thace could answer. 

“Oh my god, that’s him.” Keith’s eyes widened in shock at Thace’s mischievous grin. 

Thace hit the mute button again. “Oh, I’m sure we can help you out. Which associate was helping you this morning?” Thace asked innocently.

There was a slight pause before a soft, moonstruck-lilted voice answered, “Keith,” almost too quietly for Thace to hear. He made an exaggerated gagging face at the way Keith’s eyes glinted and the soft smile that replaced his nervous frown. 

“I’m sorry, who?” Thace asked again, hoping Shiro would sputter and repeat Keith’s name, just to annoy his coworker. 

But instead Shiro cleared his throat. "Oh, uh, he's... 5'8 maybe? Somewhere in there? He was wearing a black t shirt and… Well, he’s kind of lean, but still muscular.” Shiro’s tone shifted from matter-of-fact back to that far away quality it had when he’d said Keith’s name. “He has black hair, sort of long, messy. His eyes are blue, like a deep blue…” Keith’s face paled as Thace hit  _ mute  _ again, no longer able to contain his laughter. Shiro went on, describing Keith in more and more embarrassing and poetic detail as Keith and Thace tussled for the receiver.

After a few jabs, the phone tumbled off the desk and into Kolivan’s waiting hand. Glaring down at his employees, Kolivan answered, “I’m sorry, my associate had to step out for a moment. This is Kolivan Mormora speaking, how may I help you?” He glared at the men on the floor even harder as he listened. “I understand, these things happen. I’ll send someone over right away. Thank you.” A deep crease split his forehead as he watched Thace and Keith get up and dust themselves off while looking anywhere but at their boss. “Understood, have a great day.” Kolivan finished with as much cheerfulness as he could muster, which admittedly, wasn’t much. The phone thudded harshly as he slammed it into its cradle. 

“Thace, sweep and mop this floor until I could eat off it and then do inventory.” Kolivan commanded. Thace gave him a mock-salute and stalked over to the supply closet to get the broom. “And Keith.” Kolivan shook his head and tossed the keyring marked  _ Shirogane _ at his head, a little disappointed when Keith caught it before it made impact. “Go give the poor bastard his house key.” Kolivan said with finality as he turned on his heels and walked back into his office. 

…

Shiro heard the roar of the engine turning the corner before he saw the license plate that had been haunting him all morning. His nerves were on edge again instantly as the hulking beast of a car rolled to a stop and Keith stepped out. 

Keith stood up and tossed his sunglasses onto the seat with a smile Shiro was sure came straight from heaven. Shiro clambered to his feet and brushed the dust from the porch off of his pants as Keith slowly and deliberately walked up to him. With a smirk, Keith held out his hand to present the key between two fingers. 

Shiro grabbed it desperately and turned to fumble with the lock as he spoke. It was somehow easier without having to  _ look  _ at Keith. “Thank you so much for coming by, I really appreciate it. My best friend is away and he has my spare and I had so much coffee this morning…” Shiro rambled as the key clattered to the ground from his shaking hands.

Keith bent over to pick it up and unlocked the door for him. It swung open wide and Shiro stared at Keith, mouth opening and closing as he tried and failed to speak. “Weren’t you saying something about too much coffee?” Keith asked gently, handing the key back to him. 

Shiro’s fingers curled around the key and brushed the palm of Keith’s hand just a moment too long. The cool metal against his hands reminded him of the current urgent matter at hand. “Yes! Uh, please, come in, I’ll be right back.” He muttered, turning and making a beeline for the bathroom. 

Keith laughed to himself as he shut the door behind him. Shiro’s house was clean, tidy, and sparsely decorated, yet still gave off a cozy quality that Keith found himself liking immediately. He wandered into the living room and smiled at the photos on the walls. From a cursory look, his favorite was one of Shiro in a sharp-looking tux standing with his arm around an equally well-dressed blond man. They were both grinning and pointing to the ring on the man’s hand. The photo next to it was the same man with a stunning woman in the most gorgeous wedding dress Keith had ever seen, their cheeks were both flushed and their grins were wide. A few more photos from the same wedding were artfully arranged around those two, along with other memories and some paintings in various places around the large room. The same few faces featured heavily. 

Shiro made his way to the living room and smiled, seemingly more at ease in familiar territory. “That’s my best friend, Matt.” He pointed to the wedding picture. “And his wife, Allura.” Keith nodded.

He turned to Shiro and smiled again. “They seem nice. Real friendly.” He gestured to a group shot of the three of them soaked, holding up water guns triumphantly. 

Shiro chuckled. “Yeah, they’re pretty great.” He licked his lips and turned back to Keith. “Thanks so much for coming all the way out here to drop off my key, I can’t believe I did that.” 

Keith’s fond smile faded into a smirk again. “It’s fine, you can still make it worth my while.” He teased with a wink. 

“I can… wha…” Shiro sputtered, cheeks going red again. 

Keith shook his head and laughed. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist. I’m on lunch now, I was thinking maybe a dry-run for tomorrow would make you a little less nervous.” 

Shiro cleared his throat. “Oh… yeah. Yeah, that’s a good idea.” He cringed. “You can tell I’m nervous?” He asked quietly after a brief pause. 

Keith tilted his head a little and smiled. “Just a little.” He said, holding his thumb and first finger out, not quite touching. The floor suddenly seemed infinitely interesting as Shiro tried to figure out what to say. “So… Lunch?” Keith offered, hooking a thumb over his shoulder. 

“Right, lunch.” Shiro answered. Keith turned to walk back out to the front door. “Wait, I can drive. You already had to come all the way out here.” He protested. 

Turning around, Keith raised an eyebrow at him. “Uh… your car is at my shop?” He pointed out gently. 

“No, not my car. I have a bike.” Shiro started, motioning towards the garage. “A, a motorcycle. It’s a nice day and you already have to drive back to work so,” 

Keith interrupted him before he could continue rambling. “A motorcycle, huh?” His smirk was back in full force and Shiro felt his knees go weak. 

He motioned for Keith to follow him, not trusting his voice. The light flipped on automatically as Shiro opened the garage door. “Here she is, my baby.” Keith walked around him as he gestured towards the bike. 

“Nice.” Keith said with a low whistle, running his hand across the shiny black paint. 

Shiro shut the door to the house and followed Keith to the other side of the bike, leaning up against it in what Matt liked to call his  _ cool guy stance. _ “Yeah, she’s an Electra Glide Ultra Clas-” Shiro made an indignant squawk as the bike tipped from him leaning on it. 

It fell forward and Keith steadied it back upright before it could hit the ground with another smirk at Shiro. “Well, fire her up and let’s get out of here.” 

Face still tinged red with blush, Shiro grabbed his own and the spare helmet he kept on the shelf. He handed one to Keith and pulled the other on before turning back to lock the house door. Shiro swung his leg around and nodded his head for Keith to hop on the back. 

“So where are we headed?” Keith asked as he slid into his spot behind Shiro.

Keith’s legs framed Shiro’s and his arms wrapped around Shiro’s chest causing Shiro to wonder to himself how he ever thought this had been a good idea. His thirst had already gotten him in one accident that day, Keith’s body radiating heat across his entire back was just tempting fate. He tried to imagine what Matt would tell him, coming up with something along the lines of  _ pull yourself together, it’s a 10 minute drive _ or perhaps  _ I can’t believe we’re friends, block me irl.  _ Clearing his throat yet again, Shiro responded, “Don’t worry, I know just the place.” and kicked the bike into gear, the roar of the engine drowning out any other attempts at conversation. 

The drive wasn’t long and Shiro took mostly back roads to avoid any traffic as he tried to remember to keep breathing with Keith’s arms and legs wrapped around him. They pulled into a small parking lot in a quaint little park next to a lake. Shiro killed the engine and took his helmet off, looking back over his shoulder. “I know it doesn’t look like much, but that food truck has the best tacos I’ve ever had in my life.” 

Keith nodded and looked around as he took off his helmet. “Good call. S’nice here.” Keith replied, sliding off the bike. Shiro gritted his teeth as the entire length of Keith’s right leg from thigh to ankle grazed against his lower back. 

_ One sentence at a time _ , he told himself as they walked up to the unassuming food truck. “Do you,” Shiro took a deep breath as Keith tossed his hair over his shoulder. “You should go to the bench. I'll… tacos.” He tried to finish strong, but Keith had pulled an elastic off of his wrist and looped his hair into a low ponytail, and there was no saving the statement. 

Keith took it in stride and thanked him, going to sit on the bench and enjoying the nice day while Shiro waited for their food. He ordered quickly and without incident and even managed not to trip over himself when Keith smiled at him. Shiro sat down a respectful distance away, not too close that he was crowding Keith, but not so far that it seemed weird. He'd spent most of the time waiting for the food considering what distance would be appropriate. 

The bench was comfortable, as far as wooden benches go, and the food was great, as always. Shiro could still hear the thumping of his heart in ears, and his taco cracked apart with a loud crunch as his prosthetic accidentally gripped it too tightly. Keith raised an eyebrow as Shiro tried to scoop everything back into the mangled shell. “So is this a me thing or a you thing?” Keith asked. 

Shiro stopped and looked up at him, eyes wide. “Is… is what?” His broken snack all but forgotten. 

“That. The stuttering, being cagey. Is it me or you?” Keith replied nonchalantly, taking a bite of his own taco. 

Shiro sighed. “It's… probably me. I don't date much.” His shoulders slumped and he stared down at his messy paper plate. 

Keith nodded and hummed in thought. “Well,” He started around a mouthful before swallowing. “There's a bunch of stuff you can ask about.” He looked out over the peaceful water as he thought. “I like cars, planes, motorcycles. Anything with an engine that goes fast, really.” He took another few bites as he considered. “Hmm what else?” 

Shiro took a breath and looked over at him. “Sci-fi?” He asked tentatively. 

Keith smirked. “Yeah, wasn't sure if you caught that.” He took another bite and Shiro couldn't help but watch his throat as he swallowed. He looked away, blushing. “Don't tell Thace, but I'm actually a pretty big dork.” Keith said with a laugh as he dabbed his face with a napkin. 

Shiro smiled. Maybe he could just pretend he was talking to Matt. Dorky he could do. “Ok, sci-fi I can do.” He said with a nervous chuckle. “Let’s see… Other nerdy stuff… How about uh… DC or Marvel?” He stumbled through asking. 

Keith finished his first taco as he thought. “DC for comics, Marvel for movies.” He answered decisively. 

Shiro nodded. “Ok. That'll work.” He was feeling a little more at ease as they ate in companionable silence for a few minutes. 

Keith looked over and smiled at Shiro setting his nerves on edge again instantly. Keith reached out and took his left hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Shiro's empty plate slid off of his lap and fell to the ground. “You know, it's really distracting how adorable you are when you get flustered.” Keith said with a laugh. 

Shiro stared at him in amazement. “You don't think it's dumb or annoying?” He stared down at their hands, still clasped on the bench between them. 

“Nah.” Keith replied simply, changing the subject to more things Shiro could talk about on their date (TV shows, books, hiking, motorcycles again) and giving him hints on what to avoid (baseball, fishing, the word moist). They whiled away Keith's lunch break talking and watching ducks swim by on the river, still hand in hand. 

The drive back to Shiro’s house was somehow both less charged and infinitely more so. The feeling of Keith wrapped around him on the bike no longer felt suffocating or made it hard to concentrate, it felt like something had finally clicked into place and the warm weight was soothing and centering in a way it hadn’t been before. All too soon they made it back to Shiro’s garage and the helmets had been placed back on the shelf. They stood just out of arm’s reach, both searching for words that wouldn’t come. 

“I should probably head back to work now.” Keith finally muttered, rubbing at the back of his neck. 

Shiro nodded. “Sure, yeah.” He gestured to the door. “Mind if I walk you to your car?” He asked quietly. Keith smiled and nodded, so Shiro unlocked the door to the house and led Keith out around the front. They walked quietly to Keith’s car and paused. “Thank you, for today. I’m really… really looking forward to tomorrow.” Shiro said with a shy smile.

Keith smiled back at him. “Me too.” He licked his lips and looked around before turning back to Shiro, long bangs obscuring part of his eyes. “Tomorrow, this would be the part where you kiss me goodnight.” The confidence in his voice belied the anxiety on his face. 

Shiro stepped forward and brushed the hair away from Keith’s face. “I uh, I should probably practice that, too. Just to be sure.” He all but whispered. Keith nodded and tipped his chin up expectantly. Shiro leaned down and pressed his lips gently to Keith’s as both of their eyes slid shut. 

It was a soft and simple kiss that still managed to leave Shiro breathless. He pulled his face away and opened his eyes, biting at his bottom lip in trepidation, waiting for Keith’s reaction. Keith smirked. “Yeah, I think you’re ready.” He said with a wink, getting into his car before Shiro could respond. 

“Me too.” Shiro said so quietly he was sure Keith couldn’t hear him. He patted the hood of the car and stepped back into the street so Keith could pull away, shaking his head at the license plate as it disappeared down the road. 


	3. Chapter 3

“Motorcycles, sci-fi, don’t talk about baseball.” Shiro repeated in his head over and over again as he sat in the backseat of his uber. It was only 4:30, but Keith had seemed pretty adamant that he not be late. 

Traffic cooperated uncharacteristically well for rush hour and he pulled into Marmora Repairs just after 4:45. Thanking the driver and giving a glowing review, Shiro lurked outside for ten minutes before walking in. 

The man behind the counter smirked as Shiro walked in. It was more than a little unnerving. “You’re here for Keith, right?” He asked, eyeing Shiro appraisingly. 

“And for my car.” Shiro added, just a slight hint of protest to his voice. 

Thace turned around and pulled his keys off the board hanging behind the desk. “Black Corolla right?” He asked, twirling the ring on a finger as he faced Shiro again. 

“That’s the one.” Shiro agreed politely. 

Walking around the desk, Thace headed for the door, gesturing for Shiro to follow him. They walked around back to the small lot behind the shop. “Here she is, new and shiny.” Thace patted the new bumper fondly. 

“Great. Thanks so much, do I need to sign anything?” He asked, holding out a hand for the keys. 

“No, Keith took care of all that.” Thace put the keys in Shiro’s hand but didn’t let go. Shiro wanted to point out the futility of pressing the keys into his prosthetic since all he could register was the prickle of force in the nerves of his shoulder, not any actual discomfort, but thought better of it. “And you’d better take care of him.” He dropped the keys and crossed his arms. “Or you’ll have to answer to me.” 

Shiro wasn’t used to having to look up at people, in truth it was a little intimidating, but he gave his best challenging glare anyway. “Keith’s a grown man, he can take care of himself.” 

They eyed each other for a long moment, tension thick between them. Keith broke their standoff as he walked out of the back door and strode up to them. The change in Shiro’s demeanor was striking and sudden. “Keith! Hi.” He murmured reverently, cheeks tinting pink. 

The corner of Keith’s mouth tilted up in a fond, lopsided smile. “Hey, Shiro.” He replied. Shiro’s blush grew darker. 

“Hi.” Shiro repeated, closing his eyes tightly. 

Thace looked between them with an eyebrow raised. “Bye Thace!” Keith said impatiently, shooing him with a dismissive gesture of his hand. 

“How…?” Thace mumbled. One moment it had seemed like Shiro was ready to throw down and the next it was like looking at an adorable flat-headed puppy. 

“Bye!” Keith said again, eyes widening and head tilting as he tried to communicate his frustration without words. 

Thace eyed Shiro again suspiciously before heading back inside. 

Keith turned back to Shiro, smiling again. “So, thoughts on the paint?” He swept his hand towards Shiro’s car. 

Shiro stared back at him as if in a daze, with half-lidded eyes and a wide grin. “It looks perfect.”

Keith laughed. “You didn’t even look.” He protested half-heartedly. 

Shiro blinked a few times and turned around to the car. The paint was a little faded, but it was close enough to a match unless you really looked hard. “No, it’s great. You did great.” 

Shaking his head, Keith closed the distance between them and laced the fingers of his right hand with Shiro’s left. “So dinner?” 

“Yeah, we should,” Shiro swallowed hard and tried to finish his sentence, but the setting sun was bathing Keith in soft oranges and reds and he looked like he was glowing. “Eat?” 

Keith patted his chest and stepped back. “Good idea. I'll drive.” He said with a wink, turning to walk towards his car. 

Shiro hadn't noticed they were parked next to each other as Keith led him by their still joined hands. He stared down in confusion as Keith laughed again. “You gonna crawl over me?” He asked nodding towards the car door. 

Shiro’s face turned an even brighter red. “Right. Sorry.” He let go of Keith’s hand and walked around to the passenger side, getting in and buckling his seatbelt quickly. Keith looked over at him with another fond smile and grabbed his sunglasses. 

It was quiet on the ride, Keith hadn’t turned on the radio and Shiro wasn’t sure he remembered how to speak any form of language as he watched the side of Keith’s face in rapt attention. “Somethin’ on my face?” Keith asked as they stopped at a red light, turning towards him and lowering his glasses down the bridge of his nose. 

“Uh,” Shiro stammered, shaking his head slightly. “What?” He breathed out.

“Never mind.” Keith replied as the light turned green, pushing his glasses back up his face. 

Shiro groaned and ran a hand down his face. He took a steadying breath, determined to say at least one coherent sentence before they arrived. “So, where are we having dinner?” He was a little proud at how steady and even his voice came out. 

“How do you feel about burgers?” Keith asked nonchalantly, resting his elbow against the window and leaning his head on his hand. 

Shiro looked down at prosthetic hand and winced. “Yeah, burgers sound great. I love burgers.” 

Keith laughed. “I’m sorry, that was a mean joke. There’s a pretty decent hole in the wall type place not far from here. You can use a fork like a civilized person.” He glanced over his glasses at Shiro to see his reaction. 

Chuckling nervously, Shiro blew out a puff of air in relief. “Great.” He replied quietly. 

They pulled into the parking lot just a few short minutes later. Keith parked in the back of the lot, Shiro couldn't blame him- the spots were tiny and close together and Keith's car was very nice. 

They were seated quickly; the place was nearly empty. Shiro ordered a safe-looking chicken dish that ended up being delicious and he managed not to dump half of it in his lap. He was surprised at how easily the conversation flowed as they debated important topics like which Star Wars film was the best and if Ironman or Batman was a better superhero. Avoiding baseball and fishing was easy, Shiro didn’t care much for either. Everything was going spectacular…

...until dessert. 

Keith ordered a cookies and cream milkshake and Shiro decided to splurge on a slice of chocolate cake. “How’s the cake?” Keith asked, pursing his lips around his straw and hollowing his cheeks to suck up a particularly large bit of cookie. 

More than a little ashamed at the way he was ogling Keith’s mouth, Shiro licked his lips and took a sip of his water. “It’s uh, it’s great.” He cringed, wondering if he actually knew another adjective or if  _ great  _ was the only one in his vocabulary. “It’s so rich and moist.” 

Keith and Shiro cringed in unison as soon as the word left his mouth. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry.” Shiro murmured, covering his face with his hand. 

Keith just smiled up at him. “Make it up to me? Share a bite?” He opened his mouth and gave Shiro a heated stare. 

Slicing off a bit with the side of his fork, Shiro scooped the cake up and brought it to Keith’s lips. He had to bite back a gasp as Keith flicked his tongue out, running it under the tines and pulling in a drip of chocolate sauce before wrapping his mouth around the fork. Shiro pulled it back and rested it on his plate breathlessly as he watched Keith chew. 

Keith hummed happily. “Pretty good.” He said with a smirk. “Want some milkshake?” He offered in exchange, raising an eyebrow. 

Shiro nodded wordlessly, leaning forward in his seat for Keith to bring the spoon to his mouth. He tried to be sultry, as Keith had been, and stare into his eyes as took the bite. He bumped the spoon against his bottom lip and knocked the spoonful down his chin to dribble over his chest. 

Leaning back and swearing under his breath as Keith laughed, Shiro scrubbed at his face with a napkin and glared down at his shirt. “Here, let me.” Keith offered, sliding into the booth beside him. 

He dipped the edge of a clean napkin in Shiro’s water and dabbed at the stain. “Thank you. Sorry.” Shiro murmured as Keith cleaned up his mess. 

“Good try, we’ll work on it.” He promised with a wink, moving back to his own seat. 

They finished their desserts, thankfully without any additional excitement, and Keith insisted upon paying. Shiro knocked his knuckles against Keith’s hand as they headed towards the door, finally working up the nerve to lace their fingers together halfway through the parking lot. As they approached Keith’s car, Shiro tried to let go, determined not to follow Keith to the driver’s side again. Keith held fast to his hand. 

Keith raised an eyebrow as Shiro paused and stared at him, confusion written across his face. “So, should probably take you back to the garage for your car...” He trailed off, eyes darting to the ground. 

Shiro nodded. “Yeah, it’s getting a little late.” 

Laughing again, Keith brought his free hand to cover his mouth. “Shiro, it’s not even 8:00.” 

“I know, I was hoping you wouldn’t notice.” He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head. 

Keith pulled him closer. “I could drop you off for your car,” he started again, looking up at Shiro coyly, “or you could pick it up in the morning.” 

“In… the morning?” Shiro’s brows furrowed for a moment before shooting up nearly to his hairline. “Oh, I,  _ oh,”  _ he stammered, face flushing again. 

Keith’s face flushed too. “Or not. No pressure.” He assured, dropping their hands. 

“No. I can… morning is good.” He cleared his throat. “It’s the best… time for cars.” 

Keith grinned. “Great.” 

It took Shiro’s feet a long moment to catch up with his mind as Keith sat down in the driver’s seat. He scrambled around to the other side of the car and took a deep, steadying breath before getting in and sitting down. 


End file.
